All work and no play
by Meme-Ann
Summary: Tori Farrell is super serious about hockey, so when she joins the loud and goofy Ducks the ice hits the fan. It's going to take a little help from a new romance with Jesse before this girl earns her wings and the Ducks can fly together again.
1. 1

~* I own nothing but Tori.*~  
The Ducks sat on the benches in the locker room chattering loudly as the door swung open. The team fell silent as coach Orion walked in with his clipboard in his hand and whistle hanging from his neck. His shoulders were straight and he was dripping with control, it was the first day of the Ducks junior season, the first day of being Varsity.  
  
"All right team, let's get out on the ice." As the team filed out in a line the coach noticed someone missing. "Where's Dwayne?"  
  
"Haven't seem him coach." Charlie answered for the group  
  
"I told him if he wanted to be on the equestrian team, he was going to have to be certain it wouldn't interfere with hockey practice, or else he'd have to pick one." Orion furrowed his brow. "Oh well that's extra laps for him, everyone out."  
  
The team was spread out on the ice in opposing scrimmage teams, when the rink door squeaked open and closed with a loud thud. Everyone turned their heads, no one ever interrupted hockey practice unless it was absolutely dire. Standing in front of the door, with their leg in a cast and crutches under their arms, was Dwayne. The blood immediately drained from Orion's face, he could see his season going into the trash and taking his position as Varsity coach with it.  
  
The Ducks skated over to the boards as Dwayne hobbled his way over to the bench and sat with a pained groan.  
  
"What in God's name…?" Orion asked.  
  
Dwayne sighed  
"I was at riding practice coach and I reckon my horse got spooked, because it reared up and threw me."  
  
"How bad is it?" Julie questioned worriedly  
  
"My ankle's sprained and I broke two toes." The boy explained.  
  
"How long will you be out?" Charlie queried.  
  
"About a month."  
  
Orion rubbed his temples like he was getting a migraine. There was less then a week until their first game and his best puck handler was out for a good part of the season. How was he going to replace him in seven days? And even if he could find one, how would he find someone that would play well with the Ducks.  
  
""We're gonna need a new player." The coach declared causing the entire team to turn and look at him. "Does anyone have any ideas?"  
  
"What about Jesse?" Russ suggested, even though their friendship started out rocky Russ really missed having another African American on the team, sometimes he just felt like the token black guy.  
  
Banks shook his head.  
"He won't come, he refuses to go to school with so many preps."   
  
"How bout one of the dudes you all played with before the JR. Good Will Games?" Was Portman's idea.  
  
"They all gave up hockey after we won the state championship, that's why we had to take you guys to California." Guy replied.  
  
"Alright, I'm going to my office to call Gordon, maybe he'll have some thoughts." Orion tapped his clipboard against his thigh agitatedly. "Charlie you come with me, Luis help Dwayne back to your room and the rest of you twenty laps and hit the showers."  
  
The coach sat in his desk chair, with it pointed out the window, looking out over the athletics field. His headache felt like it would split open his cranium and he squeezed his eyes closed. Charlie was on the phone talking to Bombay, he'd volunteered to call and Orion was all to willing to let him.  
  
"So you think she'll come?" He heard his team captain ask. "Okay, hold on. Coach, Bombay wants to talk to you for a minute."  
  
Orion took the phone and placed it to his ear, wincing at the pain because by Gordon's voice.  
  
Orion: Hey Gordon, so you have someone in mind?  
Bombay: Yeah as a matter of fact. I've been scouting this girl Victoria Farrell from Rhode Island for the Good Will Games, she seems right up your alley. She's pretty serious, doesn't horse around much on the ice. I'm just not sure how she'll fit in with our Ducks.  
Orion: Do you think there'll be a problem?  
Bombay: I dunno, the kids aren't all that great about accepting new players. But I guess they really have no choice, because weather you take Victoria or not, you still need someone to fill the roster.  
Orion: Exactly.  
Bombay: Okay then, I'll get a hold of the girl and her parents, you go get the go ahead from dean Buckley. Oh and tell Dwayne I hope he feels better.  
Orion: Will do, thanks Gordon.  
  
Two Days later the entire team, plus Coach Orion and Bombay were standing in an airport, waiting for the terminal to be announced. No one was certain what this new girl was going to be like, even if she was going to play well with them. When a voice on came over the intercom and announced 'Flight 109 Warwick's TF Green Airport to Minneapolis has arrived at get 87A' they all set out to welcome the girl.  
  
As captain Charlie had been roped into holding the sign with the words 'Vicky Farrell' written on it. And his arms were falling asleep as they just stood on there waiting for her.  
Then a girl appeared in the tunnel, that just had to be her. She was wearing a Providence Bruins jersey, black cargo pants and sketchers, carrying a gear bag that looked like it was twice the size of her. Her brown eyes were sharp and fast like those of a bird of prey and instantly she spotted the banner reading her name.  
  
"I'm Victoria Farrell, you must be Ted Orion, former Minnesota North Star." The girl dropped her bag and extended her hand to the coach. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
Orion looked at her oddly and nodded.  
"Well it's nice to meet you too Vicky, let me introduce you to the team."  
  
"Oh it's Victoria or Tori please not Vicky, but no introductions necessary. Let me see if I can remember everyone." Tori walked to the front of the line of young hockey players, starting with Jules. "You're Julie 'The Cat' Gaffney from Bangor Maine, number 06 and basically Patrick Roy in a dress. Next is Connie Moreau, 18, use to be known as 'The Velvet Hammer' and also the only female member of the peewee championship team still playing. Guy Germaine, you're double 0, and probably the most consistent player on the team, unfortunately that usually gets over shadowed by the accomplishments of everyone else. Then we have LA's own Russ Tyler, 56 and the creator of the knuckle puck Fulton Reed, the original Bash Brother with a slap shot that rivals any in the NHL and you're number 44.."  
  
"I told you she was serious." Gordon whispered to Ted as Tori continued running off the list of stats.  
  
"Lastly is… is…" She stumbled. "Hold on, give me a second. Oh right, Adam Banks, team star. That leads me to believe you'll be the hardest to get along with."   
  
Banks gave her a confused expression, he'd been called a lot of things in his life but hard to get along with wasn't one of them. He was one of if not the most easy going person on the Ducks and generally tried to get along with everybody. Tori however struck him as having the I'm a great player so worship me attitude. He didn't like that one bit.  
  
"On question." Averman held up his hand like he was in school waiting to be called on. "How do you know all this about us."  
  
Tori blushed.  
"I studied on plane."  
  
"Well on behave of the Ducks, I'd like to say welcome." Charlie leaned down and picked up the girl's bag. "We ready to roll coach?"  
  
Orion gave him a 'yes' gesture and the group set on out of the airport. 


	2. 2

The rink door let out it usual squeak as Banks pushed it open an hour and a half before practice just like he did everyday. Like always he found himself thinking 'All the money this school has and they can't afford to oil the door.' Knowing full well with all the use it got it would just rust again in days anyway. But those were the things he normally found himself thinking on his early morning routine. Unproductive things that had little to no baring on life, but seemed to interest him anyway.  
  
Like always all the lights in the rink were off with the exception for the one above the ice. As he made his way down the stairs toward the ice he saw her. Sitting on the visitor's bench, sipping water from an Poland Springs bottle, was Tori. Not who he wanted to see so early in the morning.  
  
Her gray tee-shirt that read Johnston High School Hockey number 84 on the back, was speckled by dark sweat spots and her wavy dark hair was soaked. He could tell she hadn't only just arrived. She must've been working out for at least thirty minutes.  
  
"You're here early." The girl having heard him come up from behind her turned.  
  
"I always am." Banks replied dropping his bag near the bench.  
  
"Well lace 'em up rich boy. You've gotta work for the best player title now."  
  
A few minutes later the two were zigzagging across the ice, Tori changing speed and direction every time she was close enough for Adam to take the puck from her. She'd already managed to elbow him in the chest and trip him twice, the boy wasn't sure which was more bruised his butt or his ego. Couldn't the girl just have a good time? Hockey was in fact only a game, as much he hated to admit it. But even 'Hockey is my life' Adam Banks could have fun playing, as long as there wasn't an actual game on the line. When it was just him and the ice, before practice or a game, it was the most fun he could ever imagine.  
  
"Come on Banks, if you can't catch me, how do you think you can catch an opposing player?"  
  
Adam groaned and skated back to the bench. That girl was absolutely nuts, that had been the most grueling pre-practice he'd endured. Tori just didn't give up.  
  
"He's never had a problem so far." They suddenly began aware of the fact they weren't alone. They'd been so busy bickering they hadn't even noticed Charlie enter the rink.  
  
Tori smirked smugly.  
  
"I hit a nerve I see. You know if you played half as good as you talked, we'd never lose a game. But if that's the way you looking at it Captain."  
  
That rubbed Charlie the wrong way.  
  
"First off there is no us, there's us." He gestured to Banks and himself "and there's you. You are just an emergency replacement for a real duck and not a very good one either."  
  
""I'm hurt." The girls voice was lathered in sarcasm.  
  
"Tori if you don't cut it out, I'm going to have Orion make you skate sprints against Luis until you either win or pass out."  
  
Knowing from the Captain's tone he was in fact serious the girl bit her tongue. She'd seen enough tapes of the Good Will Games to know a humiliating pass out was more likely then a win under those circumstances.  
  
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes  
  
"You know I don't think you're gonna cut it on the team Tori. Come on Banks, we gotta suit up for practice."  
  
In the locker room that morning the team was their normally noisy selves, Dwayne had come to watch and it made all the Ducks happy that he was around. Tori had taken up occupancy in a private to corner to change, until the coach came, she'd had him pulled off to the side ever since. The night before she'd studied some more of the Ducks tapes and newspaper articles and came up with some ideas on how to improve their scoring, while not jeopardizing the new found defensive ability.  
  
"All right guys listen up," Orion demanded the attention of the room. "Tori came up with some line and position changes she thinks will help us out this season. I'm not saying we're gonna keep them, but we'll humor her and try them out."  
  
None of the team was to happy about the thought of their coach taking advice from a non-Duck, but there wasn't really much they could do about it except moan and groan. Which of course they all did, most of the morning. But surprisingly Tori's suggestions work out well. Orion was even impressed at her capability to figure out who would best be placed. Plus on the ice she was a no nonsense player, not one of the best, but she had leadership qualities that rivaled Charlie's. That's what led to the bombshell that would be dropped.  
  
"Okay team that was a hell of a practice. I was watching out there and I realized their are two people with exceptional leadership skills, one of course being Charlie and the other being Victoria. That's why I decided to make co-captains this year." That may have been the coaches worst mistake ever.  
  
The team unsuited swifter then lightening leaving Tori alone to finish getting dressed. The girl's body was full of pride as she left the rink, spotting the team on the grass near the library. She ran across the lawn to sit with them, hoping they'd welcome her now that they knew she knew what she was doing. Unfortunately nobody noticed her coming, so they didn't stop their conversation.  
  
"Can you believe that? I'm captain five years, she walks on the team one day and gets a 'C'." Charlie was livid.   
  
"And what's with changing the line up? If I'd have known we could do that I would've said something years ago." Kenny added.  
  
Fulton smiled, he seemed to be the only happy with the change.  
  
"I don't care, she put me back on left side."  
  
"She's just... ugh." Guy was to mad to think of anything to say.  
  
Julie suddenly sat ups straighter.  
  
"So you should hear this, yesterday Connie and I were fighting over who's better looking Paul Kariya or Mike Madano. So we ask Tori and she said, 'Adam Oates, he maybe old, ugly and bald, but all I care about is how they play and he's so under appreciated.' We didn't ask who her favorite player was, we just wanted to know who was hotter."  
  
"That babe is unhinged." Portman declared.  
  
The only person that noticed as Tori fled with tears streaming down her face was Banks, that was only because he happened to move his head to get the sun from his eyes and caught site of her. Not that is mattered anyway because with the way the Ducks were feeling none of them would've followed her. 


	3. 3

~* Not only Do I not own anyone but Tori, but I also don't own the songs in this chapter.*~  
  
Biting his lip Banks rose from the grass, and without a word he started off across the campus. There were few things bothered the even tempered hockey player, but seeing a girl, any girl in tears was one of them. Swallowing his pride he looked on the mail boxes in the lobby of the girls' dorm, finding out which room Tori was staying in. Luckily it was one he was familiar with, the girl was rooming with Charlie's on again off again girlfriend Linda.  
  
As soon as he reached the top of the stairs leading to her floor he began to hear loud rock music playing. Adam recognized it as Beck's single 'Loser', it wasn't the type of music the typical up tight, narrow minded, Eden Hall students listened to and it became evident it must have been coming from Victoria's room. Sighing he knocked, but the gentle wrap went almost unheard thanks in part to the earsplitting noise from the radio.  
  
"I'm a loser baby, so why don't ya kill me?" Tori's voice rang out in a slightly off keyed rendition from inside the room.  
  
Banks plastered on his friendliest smile and knocked again. Patiently he waited from the door to open, all while running through what he was going to say in his head.  
  
"Oh, it's you." The girl groaned as she opened the door. "You didn't happen to run into the Domino's guy on the way up did you? I'm waiting for a pizza."  
  
Adam shook his head.  
  
"Nope, sorry. Can I come in?"  
  
"If you feel the need." She walked back into the room leaving Banksie to enter and shut the door behind him. "So are you here to gather some more ammo for your group 'we hate the new girl' discussion ?"  
  
"No." The boy answered uncomfortably, then quickly changed the subject when he noticed a large collection of hockey trading cards strewn about the floor and a shoebox containing more on the bed. "Wow, you've got tons of cards."  
  
"Good observation Sherlock, no wonder they pay you the big bucks. But, don't change the subject on me. If you're not looking for stuff to take back your friends, then what are you doing here?"  
  
"I wanted to check on you, you seemed pretty upset earlier, I dunno, I don't like to see a girl cry."  
  
Tori rolled her eyes and plopped onto the floor, gesturing to a clear spot for Banks to sit.  
  
"Spare me this bleeding heart crap Banks. Besides I'm a big girl, I can take it, if you guys wanna bad mouth me till you're blue in the face go ahead. Just don't do what you did today, don't make shit up. I have enough flaws that you don't have to lie to talk smack about me. That's what pissed me off."  
  
"Why, who was making stuff up?"  
  
"The girls, that conversation about Mike Madano, Paul Kariya and Adam Oates, never happened. At least not the way Julie said it did, they didn't ask me what person I thought was better looking, they asked who was a better player. If they'd asked who I thought was the hottest person in the NHL I would've told them PJ Stock from the Bruins. And even if I did say I thought Oates was sexy because he was good, so what? I'm serious about hockey, that doesn't make me a bad person."  
  
"That doesn't sound like Julie to lie." Adam declared.  
  
Tori shrugged.  
  
"It doesn't really matter to me if you believe me or not."  
  
"You can't be as cold and sarcastic as you try to come off."   
  
"Sure I can, I hate to break it to you but after the way you people have been treating me I'm not about to just open my arms and be nice to you. Now I'm trying to sort out these cards so either help me out, or get out."  
  
Dumbfounded Banks looked over at the piles Victoria had been separating the cards into and saw they were broken into groups by team. As the song switched from 'Loser' to Ace of Base's 'All that she wants', she certainly had a bizarre taste in music, he picked a stacked and shuffled through it. Neither said a word to each other for a few minutes and the tension in the air was pretty thick. Tori basically ignored Adam hoping he'd get the hint and leave, but he had no where to be at that particular point in time so he stayed.  
  
"Whoa, you've got a Wayne Gretzky rookie card!" Banks' jaw hung open and he turned the thin piece of cardboard over in his hand.   
  
"I do, in fact I've been looking for that." The girl plucked it out of his grasp.  
  
"Do you know how much that's worth?"  
  
"Allot, I have tons of valuable stuff in my collection."  
  
"I'd like to see it some time."  
  
Tori smiled and hopped up onto her feet.  
  
"You don't have to ask me twice."  
  
A second later she was gone in a flash of wavy brown hair and disappeared into her closet, rummaging for a box. It was while she was digging through the things she'd had to shove into the small closet to make them fit with all of Linda's junk, that the pizza guy finally arrived.  
  
"If that's Domino's the money's on the top of my dresser." She called out from inside the wardrobe.  
  
Adam walked to the door and opened it to the boy that looked no older then he dressed the usual red and blue Domino's uniform, with a medium pizza in his hand.  
  
"Medium cheese for Farrell?"  
  
"That's us, thanks." Banksie pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and handed the delivery guy a twenty dollar bill. "Keep the change."  
  
"Thanks allot."  
  
The hockey player turned and reentered the room as the other teen retreated down he hall with his eight dollar tip in hand. Banks walked the box in and deposited it on the desk, the bottom was hot and you could practically smell the grease. Coach Orion would have a heart attack if he saw them eating that pizza.   
  
"Eureka!" Tori exclaimed yanking a box out from underneath the rest, causing the mountain to topple over with a crash. Quickly she slammed the closet closed "Haha, don't open that."   
  
The girl brushed her bangs out of her eyes as she dumped the contents of the tote onto the bed. Buried at the very bottom had been something that caught Banksie's eye, a yellow rectangle cereal-box. The team Good Will Games, Team USA Wheaties box to be exact.  
  
"Are you sure you're not stalking us?"  
  
Tori shrugged picking up the remote to her stereo and skipping the CD to Meredith Brooke's song 'Bitch'.  
  
"What can I say, I had a thing for number nine."  
  
"You liked Jesse?" Adam stifled a laugh.  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
"He just doesn't seem your type."  
  
"And what's my type?" The girl crossed her arms.  
  
"I dunno, loud, pushy, moody, tough as nails. Okay on second thought he does seem like your type."  
  
"I thought he was fine, plus he seemed like he'd fit in with the kids I went to school with."  
  
Adam nodded.  
  
"He's my best friend, I could maybe arrange for you to meet him if you'd like."  
  
"Don't do me any favors, just eat your pizza. My roommate should be back any minute and I'd like not to have any thing she can flip out about going on, that includes having a jock in the room. She's already annoyed enough that she's stuck with me." The girl pealed the top of the pizza box open, letting the smell of the cheese circle the room and swirl up to her nostrils.  
  
"I know Linda, she's Charlie's sometimes girlfriend."  
  
"Figures. Speaking of my co-captain, do me a fave, if you see him before I do, tell him if it's going to cause problems I'll tell Orion to take my C back. The third line right wing shouldn't have one anyway. Still if all he's going to do is screw around when we're on the ice he shouldn't have one either."  
  
"I'll do that."  
  
After the food was gone the two teenagers cleaned up the memorabilia mess that had irrupted all over the room. Once it was clean Adam left the girl alone in the room, where she found the money she'd set out for the pizza still on the bureau. Shaking her head she stuffed it back in her pocket, it seemed there was one friendly Duck on the entire team. But the weird part was it was the one person she came expecting not to get along with. Not that it mattered, she didn't care who liked her, all that matter to her was hockey and she'd play the right way. If the rest of the team wanted to act like fools and goof off the whole time that was fine, it'd only serve to make her look better. Plus playing for the Ducks had it's advantages, like possibly meeting Jesse Hall. 


	4. 4

Tori walked over to the counter in the student lounge and refilled her glass at the soda fountain. With a quick pivot she was back in her seat, with her nose buried in the pages of her English Lit book. Scholastics at Eden Hall made her old high school look like a day care. It was only her second week and she was already behind the rest of the class. Adam was suppose to be meeting her anytime to help her study. As much as she didn't want to admit it was nice to have someone on the team that was friendly toward her. However while she thought he was nice, she had no clue why every girl in school was gaga over him, he wasn't that cute.  
  
The door to the lounge swung open, but Tori didn't lift her head from the book, if she had she probably would've had a heart attack. Banks stood in the doorway in his varsity jacket with a friend beside him. A friend with coffee colored skin and washboard ads. Jesse Hall had certainly gotten hot since the Good Will Games.  
  
"That's her." Adam gestured toward the dark haired girl at the back table. "Hey Farrell!"  
  
"Hi Adam." The girl looked up and smiled, right up until her jaw unhinged. "Um, come over here."  
  
The boys walked in her direction and she sat up straight, kicking herself for just throwing on her faded jean overalls and long sleeved green tee-shirt. She'd even plopped her hair on the top of her had in a frumpy ponytail, not the best way to impress a guy. Definitely not the way you want to look when you meet someone you've been crushing on for years. 'Gosh, he's better looking in person' she thought to herself as the two got closer.  
  
"Jesse this is Tori Farrell, Tori, this is my friend Jesse Hall, oh I forgot you already know him." Banks teased pulling out a chair across from Tori.  
  
The girl turned ten different shades of red as she dared herself to look up at the dark skinned hunk.  
  
"Hi." She extended her hand and when Jesse shook her knees wobbled, strong hands.  
  
"What's up?" Jesse nodded at her book coolly.  
  
"Nothing really, just studying. Would you excuse us for a second? Banks we need to talk."  
  
She dragged Adam to a corner in the student lounge and pinned him against the back wall, despite being half his size. Her dark eyes where wide and her heart side lips were curled at the sides in an angry growl.  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to bring him? My god, I don't even know what to say, I'm going to look like an idiot!"  
  
"Easy Tori, Jesse's cool, he's not going to think you're an idiot. Besides, since when are you insecure?" Banksie raised his eye brows at her.  
  
"Just because you're the only person on the team that talks to me, doesn't mean you know me Banks okay. I dunno how to act around guys, I've never been around guys other then my team. In Rhode Island the boys didn't bother with me unless they wanted to talk about hockey, I was one of the guys."  
  
"Come on Tori, just go talk to him. He's been looking forward to meeting you."  
  
"Fine, but if he thinks I'm a goof I'm out for your ass at practice tonight, got it?"  
  
"Got it."  
  
With a sigh Tori slunk back into her seat and sipped her soda. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, far from tough straight talking teen she was around the Ducks. Jesse had her so unnerved, she got gitty. For all work and no play, serious all day Victoria Farrell, that was something that was hard to deal with.  
  
"So Tore, what do you think about the Ducks so far?" Jesse asked with a sly smile.  
  
"Well, umm, not much really." The girl replied flipping the page in her book. "I don't really talk to them, we pretty much ignore each other in class and at practice I'm all about the game."  
  
"You're studying awful hard considering it's only the first month of school."  
  
"Hmm? Oh, yeah well gotta stay in on scholarship."  
  
Jesse flashed Banks a look and Adam shrugged, that was not how the meeting was suppose to go. Tori was suppose to be her wise talking, sarcastic, fun self. She and Jesse were suppose to hit it off and Tori was suppose to relax.  
  
Finally Adam cracked his knuckles and came up with an idea.  
  
"So Tori, there's this welcome back dance next week, it's semiformal, anyway the only way you can go is to either be a student at Eden Hall or the date of one. Now Connie's going with Guy of course. Julie's boyfriend Scooter is driving in from college, so both of the other girls already have dates. Not to put you on the spot or anything, but would you be willing to invite Jesse? I think it would be awesome if he could go."  
  
"That would rock, I mean if you want to go with me." Jesse grinned at Tori.  
  
"Um sure, that would be cool." She responded closing her book and standing up. "I better go though, we have practice in an hour and my gear's not packed. Talk things out with Banks and he can get back to me."  
  
As Tori left the lounge Adam rolled his eyes, that was not Tori at all.  
  
"So what did you think of her?"  
  
Jesse shook his head.  
  
"I dunno, she's pretty, beautiful eyes. I just thought you said she liked me, it sure don't seem like it."  
  
"She does, or she did during the Good Will Games. She's not normally like this Jes honestly. I don't know why she was acting so weird. *Sigh* Do you wanna come to practice, I know the rest of the guys would love to see you. And maybe you can get a look at the real Tori."  
  
"Yeah that's cool. You think Orion'll let me play a bit?"  
  
"He might, let's get out of here." 


	5. 5

"Did you guys see Tori?" Julie laughed pulling her long blonde hair out from under her uniform as she and the rest of the Ducks changed for practice. "She's out there skating sprints, she's so going to burn herself out."  
  
"Good maybe, she'll pass out from exhaustion or something, it'll be nice to have a practice without her." Russ groaned, tugging on his jersey.  
  
"And she's such a coach's pet, Orion treats her like her word is gold." Charlie muttered, jealous of the fact he was for once not the favorite player.  
  
"We don't need that crazy babe anyway, I think coach should've just left the team be. Cowboy'll be able to play sooner or later." Portman grumbled loudly, from where he stood near the bubbler.  
  
The locker room door swung open and the entire team snapped to attention anticipating their gruff coach to come storming in. However they were wrong and the person that did come in turned out to be one of the last people they expected.  
  
With a friendly smile on his handsome face Jesse declared. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."  
  
"Jesse!" Connie squealed and hugged the boy as the rest of the team charge toward him.  
  
"He followed me home guys, I didn't know what to do with him. But he's cute so I thought I'd keep him." Banks teased, pinching Jesse's cheek. "Not sure if he'll hit in the shoebox under my bed though."  
  
"Back up, Cake-eater." The ex Duck chided, elbowing Adam lightly in the ribs. "Uh Germaine, could you help me here?"  
  
Guy got up from the bench and detangled his girlfriend from around Jesse's neck, explaining too her. "You have too let Jesse, breathe."  
  
Fulton patted his past teammate on the back and told him. "It's good too see you man."  
  
"Thanks, Bro."  
  
"What are you doing here, Jesse?" The captain asked, double knotting his skates. "You didn't decide to come back did ya, cuz we could really use you right now."  
  
Banks frowned and narrowed his eyes at Charlie "No, we don't need him Charlie, we've got, Tori."   
  
"Yeah, the psycho bitch from Hell."  
  
Jesse shook his head confused. "She didn't seem that bad too me, a little flaky but cool."  
  
"Yeah, cool being the keyword, as cool as ice." Goldberg spoke up.  
  
"Cold as Hagen Das." Averman added.  
  
"Shut up, Averman." Jesse groaned.  
  
The door opened again and Orion walked in with his usual square shouldered, commanding presence. He ordered the rest of the team onto the ice and instructed Adam too suit up and show Jesse where the spare practice gear was located. He then did an about face and followed the majority of the team out too the benches.  
  
When Banksie and Jesse were ready to go, they too headed out to join everyone else. Adam lead him over toward Tori, who like normal was standing off too the side, separated from the rest of the Ducks. She smiled slightly when Adam gave her shoulders a friendly squeezed, blushing uncontrollably when she noticed Jesse. Being around cute guys really did totally unhinge her and she wondered if she'd be able to concentrate on the scrimmage with him there. Jesse Hall, her dream guy, it was almost too much.  
  
The coach divided up the players and sent those assigned too the second and third line too the bench. Tori sat on the floor, alone. Jesse had been put on the other team and Banks was a first line player. She watched as Adam stole the puck from Luis and barreled down on Julie, slipping it past her stick with ease. She felt bad for laughing when Julie tried to stand up, but slid back down, but she didn't like the female Goalie at all and thought she deserved it.  
  
Her stomach knotted when she took the ice. If she messed up in front of Jesse, she'd cry, it would be that embarrassing. She watched as Averman and Jess went too the center of the ice for the face off which, Jesse easily won. He set out toward the opposite goal, which Goldie was half heartedly guarding. Without thinking Tori went after him, checking her crush hard into the boards, only to trip and have the puck stolen by Kenny. It was humiliating. When Orion blew the whistle to end practice she was still mortified.  
  
"That was stupid, Victoria, very stupid." Tori scolded herself as she sat alone on the quad. "That's the perfect way to impress a guy, hurt him and then fall on your face."  
  
"I dunno, it worked pretty well for you." The brown haired girl jumped at the voice behind her and turned too see who'd snuck up on her.  
  
"Jesse, um, hi." Tori plucked a blade of grass that was stuck to the bottom of her sneaker.  
  
"That was a pretty good check, if you don't mind me sayin'. Can I sit."  
  
Tori shrugged "The grass is a little damp."  
  
"It's alright." The boy lowered himself beside her. "The guys'll be out in s minute anyway. We're going to the diner that the Charlie's mom works at, you comin' with?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because your friends hate me."  
  
Jesse chuckled. "Yeah, I noticed that. Banks likes you though."  
  
"Yeah, Adam's cool. I think he understands me."  
  
"Hey Jesse we're goin' you comin'?" Russ yelled, waving in the direction of the parking lot.  
  
"Yeah. We'll meet you there." Jesse called back.  
  
Russ nodded and walked too the back of the rink to get in someone's car.  
  
"We'll meet you there?" Tori raised her eyebrows?  
  
Jesse grinned. "Yup, you're coming too so let's go."  
  
~* Thanks too nottshockeygirl99 for pointing out that I had the wrong player stealing the puck from Tori. This is what I get for typing faster then I think. It said Dwayne, but I meant Kenny, so I fixed it.*~ 


End file.
